James m



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model) J M. SWBM. GATE FOR RAILWAY cnossmes.

Patented Feb. 20,1894

INV WI WITNg ATTORNEY we NAYIONAL umomurnmq COMPANY.

WASHINGTON. u. e.

2 $119etxs Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. M. SWEM. GATE PORRAILWAY GROSSINGS.

.307. Patented Feb. 20, 1894..

ATTORNEY THE mmomn. UTNOGRAFKING coMPANv.

TATES I UNITE w JAMES M. SW'EM, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THESlVEM SUPPLY AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GATE FOR RAILWAY-CROSSINGSQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 515,307, dated February 20, 1894.

Application filed September 16, 1893. Serial No. 485,729. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J AMEs lVLSWVEhLa citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Denver,in the county of Arapahoe and State ofColorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates forRailway-Crossings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification;

My invention relates to improvements in gates for railway'crossings, myobject being to provide a device of this class which shall be superiorto those heretofore employed, in points of simplicity, economy andgeneral efficlency.

To these ends, my improvementconsists of the features, arrangements andcombinations hereinafter'described and claimed all of which will befully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which isillustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of two double gatesembodying my improvements and guarding the approaches to two lines oftrack, between which the controlling mechanism is located. Fig. 2 is aside view of one of the double gates as it appears to one approachingthe tracks crossing. the highway for vehicles. Figs. 3 and 4 arefragmentary elevations of the gate mechanism shown on an enlarged scale.Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the line az-x, Fig. 4, the gate armsbeing removed. Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of theframework or tower forming the support for the operating or controllingmechanism. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail View illustrating the operatingmechanism, partly in section.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts or elementsof the mechanism in the several views, let the numeral 5 designate therailway tracks crossing the vehicle highway 6.

7, 7, 850., are the gates guarding the approaches to the tracks via thewagon road, and 8 the framework or tower from which the mounted on thetrunnions, and the vertical supporting standard 13 set firmly in theground and passing through the caslng 10. The lower extremities of thegate arms (those parts located below the trunnions) are enlarged asshown at 12 while they diminish in size toward their oppositeextremities. By

' reason of this construction, the operation of the arms is made easy,since the short Weighted extremities nearly balance the longer por-=tions of--the arms, the excess in weight of the. latter being onlysufficient to cause the arms to fall by gravity when released byloosemngthe ropes 9 which are attached to the arms above the pivoted point asshown at 12 and pass over pulleys 1a pivoted and supported at theupperextremities of the standards 13, from which the ropes pass to thepulleys 15 of the tower 8, and thence downward to the large pulleys 16made fast on the shaft 17 journaled in boxes 18 secured to the frameworkof the tower 8. The shaft 17 is provided with a'crank arm 19 having ahandle 20. Each gate 7 is composed of two arms 12 mounted on oppositesides of the casing 10, and therefore moving in different verticalplanes. These arms when raised, are oppositely inclined as best shown inFig. 2, the casing being provided with the integral stops 10, whichengage the arms both above and below the fulcrum, and thus prevent themfrom assuming the vertical position. Hence, by reason of this oppositeinclination of the raised arms, they are in position to fall in oppositedirections as the cable is slackened. The two posts or standards 13 aresupposed to be located on opposite sides of the street a between thevehicle way and the sidewalk for pedestrians, whereby as the arms orguards 12 are lowered, one falls across the sidewalk and the otherprojects into the street. The

short ropes 9 which are attached to the two arms of each gate, areconnected at 9 where they merge into a single cable 9 before passingover the pulley 14.

lhe two cables 9 connected with the two pans of arms forming the doublegate, pass over separate pulleys 14 and 15 and make a single turn aroundseparate pulleys 16 mounted on the shaft 17. After passing around thepulleys 16, the cables pass downward and are provided with weights 21 attheir lower extremi'ties, said weights being of just sufficient gravityto balance the guard arms 12, whereby the latter remain in the positionassumed when the pulleys 16 cease to move.

The two double gates located on opposite sides of the railway tracks arecontrolled and operated by two sets of winding mechanism, each composedof a shaft 17, a crank arm 19, a handle 20 and two pulleys 16, theshafts being located in such proximity that they may both be actuated bythe same person who grasps one handle 20 with each hand.

Since the wire ropes-or cables 9 are wound once around the pulleys 16,and since .these ropes occupy a vertical position both above and belowthe pulleys to which they are tangent, the ropes will engage themselvesat the extremities of their coils, or at the tangential points unlessprovision is made to obviate this result. As this contact of the ropeswould result in considerable friction, and consequent wear,I may employa spreading device illustrated in Fig. 7 and consisting of a stationaryarm made fast to the framework in proximity to the pulleys 16 on eachshaft 17. This arm is provided with a horizontal portion located abovethe pulleys extending across their peripheries and provided with twodepending pins 22 projecting between the tangential portions of theropes which would otherwise engage, the function of these pins being toact as spreaders or separating devices, whereby the said portions of theropes are other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a gate forrailway crossings, the comon the casing trunnion,a suitable framework ortower provided with another pulley, operating mechanism composed of ashaft carrying a pulley made fast thereon, and a rope or cable attachedto the guard arm passing over i the pulleys on the standard or toweraround the pulley on the operating shaft, and provided with a weight atthe other extremity which hangs below the shaft, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination in a gate for railway prevented from engaging eachcrossings, of a hollow exteriorly trunnioned casing, a post or standardpassing through the casing, a guard arm mounted on the casing trunnion,operating mechanism composed of a shaft carrying grooved pulleys orsheaves and provided with suitable crank arms, the shaft being journaled in a suitable framework, and a rope or cable connected with theguard arms passing over the pulley on the standard, and around thepulleys on the shaft, said rope being provided with a weight at itslower extremity, substantially as described.

3. In a gate for railway crossings, the combination of a suitablestationary, casing provided with trunnions on opposite sides, a post orstandard passing through the casing and forming a support therefor, twoguardarms mounted on the casing trunnions and being weighted at theirlower extremities, and-suitable means for operating the gate mechanism,substantially as described.

4. In a gate for railway crossings, the combination of a stationaryhollow .casing provided with trunnions on opposite sides, apost orstandard passing through the casing and carrying a pulley located atasuitable height thereon, twoguard arms mounted on the easing trunnionsand oppositely inclined when raised, the casing being provided withstops to maintain this inclination, and operating mechanism composed ofa shaft journaled in a suitable framework, and carryingafast .pulley orsheave, the shaft being provided with a suitable crank, andshortropesleadingfrom the respective guard arms and merging into a single cablewhich passes over the pulley on the standard and thence over anotherpulley on the framework supporting the operating shaft, thence aroundthe pulleyon the shaft and downward therefrom, being provided with aweight at its lower extremity of sufficient gravity to balance thesubstantially as described.

a 5. In a gate for railway crossings, thecombination with suitable gatemechanism, of means for controlling'and' operating the same consistingof a shaft provided with a crank and carrying a fast pulley havinggrooved peripheries, a rope connected with the gate mechanism and woundaround the pulley on the shaft, and a spreading device consisting of astationary arm carrying a pin projecting between the tangential portionsof the rope, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES M. SWEM.

Witnesses:

EDWARD F. LAOKRER, O. A. GILMAN.

guard arms,

